Rock preview: Metallica, Nottingham, Manchester

Like heavy metal Dickens characters, Metallica are haunted by what they once were, and what they may become. Prepared to go to extraordinary lengths - psychotherapy, much "ripping up of the template" - to recapture the peak of form they hit on their first three albums, they are now arguably more self-conscious than, say, the Smiths ever were. For last year's Death Magnetic, they attempted to recover some thrashy rawness with producer Rick Rubin. Although fans complained of the album's painfully loud mastering, accompanying gigs were good. Amid the band's sweat and apocalyptic visions, they offer thrilling renditions of their finest moments.